Slab Leak Detection and Repair in Orange County

Slab Leak Detection Service

Do you hear running water even though all the faucets are shut tight? Strange hot and cold spots in your Orange County home? Do you have water collecting at the base of a wall for no apparent reason? Any of these signs can indicate the presence of a slab leak.

What are slab leaks?

A slab leak is a leak from a pipe beneath or inside the foundation of a structure. They are one of the more difficult plumbing problems to detect, because water can drip out over a long time and either sink into the ground or collect in an area that nobody can see. And the longer they go unaddressed, the more damage they do. Slab leaks are also difficult to access, because they are underneath or inside solid concrete slab foundations.

Slab Leaks Cause a Lot of Trouble

If left unresolved, slab leaks can cause serious property damage and pose health threats. First of all, the water leaking from your home can cause erosion, enabling the ground beneath your home to become unstable. Over time, this erosion may cause your foundation may crack or rise unevenly, or it can undermine your home’s ability to support its own weight. This is especially true if the ground was already unstable in the first place, thereby creating the slab leak. An unstable home that threatens collapse is unsuitable to live in, and must be condemned.

A slab leak can also threaten your home if the pressure forces the water under your home to rise, thus saturating your basement, crawlspaces, and floorboards. Waterlogged floors can crack tiles and ruin carpets and other floor treatments. As water rises from a concrete floor and saturates wood and drywall, mildew and mold can grow quickly and endanger your family. And because this water is rising evenly, you may not know you have a problem until the entire lower level is at risk.

The problems caused by slab leaks are not limited to indoors. A leak occurring outside may cause flooded landscaping, create cracks in swimming pools, and even spread raw sewage. Sewage is a serious problem, because the entire affected area must be sterilized after it is cleaned up in order to avoid any kind of long-term bacterial contamination.

How to Detect a Slab Leak

The sooner you detect and fix a slab leak, the better. Look out for these signs:

The sound of running, rushing, or dripping water when faucets are off

Hot spots in your floor

Dampness on floors or lower areas of walls

Cracks in floors or walls

Mildew under carpets or rugs

Unusually high water bills

Don’t let plumbing contractors talk you into tearing up concrete simply to probe for the origin of a slab leak. Orange Coast Plumbing employs minimally invasive detection methods to reduce property damage, costs, and job duration. Orange Coast Plumbing’s certified service technicians explain your problem and your repair options and then give you a competitive estimate in writing so you can make informed decisions. We have a high standard for integrity with our estimates, and we will not tolerate confusing double-talk or surprise charges from our professionals.

Orange Coast Plumbing – The Trusted Name in Orange County for Fixing Slab Leaks

Finding the Slab Leak

The first step in fixing a slab leak is diagnosing the problem. When the professionals at Orange Coast Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning arrive at your home or office, we will listen to you as you explain your situation, and assess the symptoms. Based on what we learn, if you have a slab leak, we will have enough information to check for it.

The second step is confirming the presence of the leak and locating it. With our electronic leak detection system, we can pinpoint the location of even tiny leaks deep in your foundation. Once we do, we confirm to you that indeed you have such a leak, and show you its location.

Very often, the slab leak is caused by a problem with the foundation. If we discover this to be a possibility, we will thoroughly check the foundation for the presence of other leaks. If there are multiple leaks, it will certainly alter our strategy for conducting repairs.

Repairing Slab Leaks

The first step in repairing a slab leak is accessing it. There are three possibilities here. First, we can dig a hole through concrete, straight down to the leak. Using precision instruments, we reach through the hole to the leak, perform repairs, and then seal it back up with concrete. This approach works best when there is only one leak, and only a small chance of ever developing a second leak.

Second, you can dig up your foundation with a jackhammer, or at least the portion of it at risk of developing leaks. Of course, this is problematic, given that your home or office rests on top of your foundation. Once the pipe has been unearthed, we remove the damaged section and replace it, and then seal it back up with concrete. This strategy takes a lot of patience, man hours, and careful planning. It is the most invasive strategy, and also the most expensive.

Finally, you can choose an option called “Cured-in-Place-Piping”, which essentially means that you will slide a camera into the pipe that requires repairs. If the pipe is a water pipe, we shut off the water; if it is a sewer pipe, we clean it first with a hydro-jet. After making sure the pipe is clean, we coat the interior of the pipe with a high-quality resin. After applying the coat, we force compressed air into the pipe, which in turn, pushes the resin into the cracks of the pipe. Once the resin hardens, all of the leaks are plugged. Even if the old pipe forms new cracks or leaks, they will not affect the flow of water or sewage, because the new pipe inside the old one remains intact.

After repairs are complete, we will use our sewer and drain cameras to inspect the pipe to determine that you have no further issues. When you can look on a screen and see there is no problem, and you can turn on your water and not have leaks or flooding, then you will have peace of mind knowing that your problems are behind you. And if you experience any problems in the future, you can call us.

Choose Orange Coast Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning

Orange Coast Plumbing has been in business since 1977, and we have established ourselves as Orange County’s plumber of choice for addressing all manner of plumbing and maintenance issues, including slab leaks. We have built our reputation one client at a time, coming to their homes and fixing their drains and pipes. We repair and maintain heating and air conditioning units, and complete all kinds of renovation and remodeling projects.

We make every effort to provide the very best customer service for you and your home or business. When we pay you a visit, we give you due respect, and restore your home or business to its proper look and function. When we fix a leak, we repair the damage it caused, and clean up the mess.

Orange Coast Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Give us a call today at (800) 953-1110.

What Customers Are Saying

Alejandra G.Hungtington Beach, CA
6/29/2016

These guys are super dependable, knowledgeable, honest, and do a great job. I had a couple of clogged sinks in the house and Erick from OCP fixed them right up. He did it super quickly too! My interactions with all the folks have been very pleasant. Overall it was quick to book and have them come out to the house too. Fair prices, really couldn’t ask for more from a plumbing company!

Contact Details

ADDRESS1506 N Clinton St. Santa Ana, CA 92703

TELEPHONE800-953-1110

E-MAILocp@orangecoastplumbing.net

About Orange County Plumbing

To Orange Coast Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning, customer service is our top priority and that begins the moment we pick up the phone. When you call Orange Coast Plumbing you’ll always be greeted by our friendly, courteous and knowledgeable customer representatives.